PUNISHMENT (COMPLETED)

Part1

Six months of the contract is getting completed today. As per the contract, Khushi should leave RM. Arnav went to the office as usual. He has no idea about “the last day” as he was not counting the days as Khushi did. Khushi went to Anjali’s room, who was in her ninth month of pregnancy. Anjali smiled at Khushi sensing something wrong.

Anjali: Khushiji, are you ok?

Khushi: Di... Buaji called me. She is not feeling well. Her BP became high. Amma is not at home as Babuji is in treatment. Shall I go to Buaji?

Anjali: Arrey? Why are you asking my permission? You ought to be with her.

Khushi: But this is your ninth month. Being your sister-in-law, I should be with you.

Anjali: But the situation is worst, right? I have one and all here. Top of all, Chotte is with me. But Buaji is alone. What’s the use of people if they couldn’t help her in the critical stage?

Khushi: Thank you Di. Arnavji is in the meeting. Will you convey this message when he returns?

Anjali: you don’t have to worry about it. I will talk to Chotte. You just update about Buaji’s health.

Khushi: Sure Di.

She hugged Anjali with all her emotions and left before Anjali saw her tear-up eyes.

Khushi packed her things to go back to GH. Her life will be different from now onwards. She is no more Raizada. She has no rights in this house. She is going to be the daughter of her adopted parents again. Taking her bag, she left their room... correction... Arnav’s room. Somewhat, she managed Nani and Payal as well. She stopped Payal, giving excuses when she wanted to call Buaji and left RM forever.

GH

Buaji was not so happy seeing Khushi came alone. Khushi gave numerous excuses in her way and shut Buaji’s mouth up.

Khushi felt like, her life has no meaning. She was hell angry on Arnav. Until the last, Arnav didn’t say the reason for their contract Marriage. Why did he do that? What’s in his mind that he was so angry and restless all these days? What made him take this malicious decision? But why this “deuced heart” wanted to see him again? Why does it feel like she missed a very precious one? She removed his photo from the bag and caressed it, with her teary eyes.

Khushi: Why Arnavji? What I did that you are punishing me like this? Did you marry me to kick me out of your life? (pause) Forever? I thought we were destined for each other. But now, I wish we had not met. I hate you Arnavji.

She said, hugging the photograph of Arnav.

RM

Arnav came from the office, as usual, his eyes searched for the person as usual, he thought she will be in the kitchen as usual, until Anjali said that she went to GH because Buaji was ill. He didn’t take it seriously. When he came for dinner, he saw Akash and Payal also coming. Payal looked so fresh.

Anjali: Happy half-yearly Anniversary.

Akasha and Payal: Thank you Di.

Anjali: I missed wishing Khushi in the morning. If I had known before then I would have given her some sweets at least.

Payal: No Di, she prepared jalebis for me in the morning.

Anjali: But I thought she was upset because of Buaji.

Nani: Haan, usually Khushi bitiya makes jalebis if she is upset.

No one knows the uproar of the person, who was silently listening to their talks. Six months have passed? That’s why she left? He left the dinner half-finished and went to his room. Their room looked vacant for Arnav which he never felt before. She is gone, forever. She won’t come again. But, why he is feeling awkward now? After all, she had been here just for the sake of contract. She ended up with that. What so the big deal? After all, he is Arnav Singh Raizada. He won’t get affected by anything or anyone.

Though ASR was not affected for outlook but deep inside, he was dead. His soul was dead inside his body. Better if the soul would have left his body, then, there would not have been any pain. He gulped.

After four days.

Hell’s pain will be less than what Arnav felt in those four days. He was dying every second. He punched the wall, kicked the recliner, banged his head on the mirror, and got cut on his head. At last, he shouted “Khuuuuuushhhiiiiiiiiiiiii”. He kneeled down on the floor closing his face with his palm. He has to grab some excuse to see her at any cost. Otherwise, his soul will not be in his body.

After a while, Anjali came to his room with his favorite BADHAM HALWA.

Anjali: Chotte, taste it. I cooked it for you.

Arnav: Di, why are you risking in this stage? You should be in rest.

Anjali: If I do not do it now then I cannot do it for at least one year because I can have a baby anytime. After that, I don’t know either I will get time or not.

Arnav: You no need to worry about me Di.

Anjali: yes, I don’t have to worry about you as you have a caring wife. (Arnav gulped the thing which was stuck in his throat) Chotte, will you give this sweet to Khushiji?

Arnav’s face brightened. He nodded ok without thinking.

Anjali: Thank you Chotte. Convey my regards to Buaji.

Arnav nodded and fetch the box from Anjali’s hand.

Laxmi Nagar

Arnav saw Buaji was buying something in the nearby shop, facing her back to Arnav. She turned towards him sensing the car sound. Her face literally brightened. She rushed to him.

Arnav: How are you Buaji?

Buaji: I was not good Nandkishore. But after seeing you I got my lost power.

Arnav: What happened Buaji?

Buaji: What to say? Sankadevi has been here for four days, that too alone. And I can say she is not fine. She looks all gloomy. Sometimes, she is crying. She is not eating, not sleeping. She is doing nothing which she always likes to do. She refused to open up anything. What’s wrong Nandkishore?

She asked worriedly.

Arnav: Nothing Buaji. I will take care of it. Don’t worry. Where is Khushi?

Buaji: She is at home. you get inside I will just come finishing this purchase.

Arnav nodded yes and went inside GH. He didn’t see Khushi in the living room. He peeped inside her room and saw her sleeping. He slowly closed the gap between them without making a sound. He felt someone was slogging his heart when he saw her like a tatter. There was a sketch of tears on her face which lost its shine in these four days.

That’s when something pulled his focus. She was hugging a photograph, close to her chest. He shivered to see that. What if it was someone, whom he wanted to kill right away? But his face brightened when he noticed those bangles in her hands, the same bangles, which he bought for her on the day of “Havan”. Her palms were filled with Mehandi. To his surprise, she wrote “A” in it. He hurriedly took the photo and shocked, seeing his own pic.

What does this mean? Why she wrote his initial in her Mehandi? Why she is hugging his photograph? Why she is wearing those bangles which were given by him? What the hell of all these? He came out of the room hurriedly and sat on the couch, wiping the sweat beats which was the outcome of his nervousness.

Buaji saw him sitting in the living room.

Buaji: Nandkishor, why are you sitting here? Where is Sanka Devi?

Arnav: I called her twice but she is not here.

He lied.

Buaji hurried towards her room and saw her sleeping.

Buaji: Yeh Dekho... Sanka Devi sorahi hai. (see here, Sanka Devi is sleeping) “Stay awake all night and sleep in the daytime”. Hai re Nadhkishor.....

Saying she went inside the room and tapped her shoulder.

Buaji: Koosii, hey Kooosi...see Arnav bitwa is here.

Khushi looked at buaji and thought she was dreaming. Because she knew, there was no reason for Arnav to come here.

Khushi: Buaji, won’t you let me be happy even in my dreams?

Buaji: Dream? Arrey Sanka Devi...

She hit on her hand and Khushi jerked from her sleep feeling pain. It’s really pained. So she is not dreaming. She was delighted knowing that Arnav is here. She was about to come out but stopped. Why he is here? She thought for a while and removed the bangles and kept it in the drawer with his photo. she came out and smiled at him like nothing is serious.

Khushi: Arrey, just today morning I told you that I want to see you, you are here right away? She smiled.

Arnav noticed her empty hands. She would have removed it purposely didn’t want to show it to him that she is in his memories. Arnav was sternly looking at her acting.

Buaji: Nandkishor, Why Sanka Devi is here? What’s wrong?

Khushi(cutting her): Why Buaji? Don’t I have the right to come here?

Buaji: Chup... ek dam chup... Who is talking about your rights here? Haan? You can come and stay here as much as you want but only with your husband. At least not, when your sister-in-law is in her ninth month. What will people think? This is not a playground but a family. Understood?

Khushi: But Buaji, I got permission from Di. She is the one who sent me here.

Buaji: She is generous, so she sent you. But what about you? Don’t you have any responsibility?

Arnav: I just came here to take her back to Shantivan Buaji.

Khushi was taken aback hearing that. Not again. She was supposed to deny it, that’s when Arnav’s phone started ringing. It was from Akash.

Arnav: Tell me Akash.

Akash: Bhai, we are taking Di to the hospital. She is in delivery pain.

Arnav: What? Ok, you go I will be there as much as possible.

Buaji: what happened Nandkishor?

Arnav: Di is going to the hospital. We are leaving Buaji.

Saying, he held Khushi’s hand and strode towards the car while hauling her with him.

Khushi didn’t ask anything Arnav nor did she look at him for once. Arnav’s mind was whirling in “thoughts tornado”. He wanted to believe that Khushi loves him. Four days of her separation is enough for him to know what she meant to him. The thought “she left him forever” sliced his heart into the cell by cell. Now, he was scared to death about their contract Marriage. What will he do if he was wrong?

Anjali delivered a boy baby before Arnav and Khushi reached the hospital. Khushi was so hesitant to touch the baby as she lost her rights. But Payal brought him to her and kept him in her hands. Khushi smiled forgetting herself, seeing the flawless soul who touched the cunning world a few minutes ago. Arnav; who was observing her emotions stood there without getting anything.

Arnav got a call from Aman as he wanted to attend the important client meeting in an hour. He touched his nephew’s cheek lovingly. He excused himself from there after giving a reason.

Nani: Payal bitiya, can you prepare some liquid food for Anjali bitiya?

Payal: Sure Nani. I will go to RM and prepare it for Di.

Nani: Mohan will take you home.

Khushi: Jiji, I will also come with you.

Nani: That’s good. Bring some required things for Anjali and the baby. We didn’t take anything in urgency when coming to the hospital.

Gupta sisters reached RM. Payal went to Anjali’s room to pick some clothes for Anjali while Khushi started making “mush”. After a while, Khushi felt dizzy as she didn’t get proper sleep and diet in previous days. when she was about to fall, Shyam came there and about to touch her, his hand got shrugged off by payal. She pulled Khushi towards her and made her lean on her shoulder. Khushi dropped herself on Payal’s shoulder and fainted.

Shyam: payalji, I just...

Payal: Enough... I can take care of my sister. You can leave.

Shyam: Why are you looking so angry Payalji? I just thought to help Khushiji.

Payal: Enough…. We had seen enough of your helping nature.

Shyam: you are taking me wrong.

Payal: I was always right in guessing you from the beginning that whatever you did is not a coincidence. And what I doubted was right. I don’t want you to come close to Khushi. what do you think? I will believe your words? The man who can cheat his wife and a lovable family can never be a trusted person.

Shyam: All I did...

Payal(cutting him): I can never forget what you did. What a man you are? how could you think of marrying Khushi when you are already married? Khushi hid the truth because she doesn’t want to hurt Di who worships you as God and...

She got stuck with her widened eyes. Shyam was confused and turned his face towards the direction where Payal’s gaze has been rooted. He was horror stuck seeing Arnav with scorching glare. Shyam could see Arnav’s rising anger.

To be continued.......